


Catra's Christmas spirit

by GarbageFanfics



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Adora is in love, Catra lives in a shelter, F/F, Gay Disasters, Kisses, Mistletoe, Parents are all best friends, emancipation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-29
Updated: 2019-12-29
Packaged: 2021-02-25 03:47:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,676
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22009501
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GarbageFanfics/pseuds/GarbageFanfics
Summary: She hates being alone, she hates the cold, and she hates Christmas.  Adora loves Christmas, family, friends, and being in love with Catra.   her plan to give Catra some Christmas spirit with a mistletoe kiss.  Meanwhile, the parents want to give Catra something special for her loneliness.
Relationships: Adora/Catra (She-Ra), Angella/Micah (She-Ra)
Comments: 7
Kudos: 145





	Catra's Christmas spirit

_Why does every stupid place have a freakin tree!?_ Catra wanted to scream how stupid this whole thing was from the rooftops. She hated this holiday more than anything. It never brought her good memories. In foster care her adoptive mother did not celebrate it; whether it was for religious reasons only or not; it sucked to be one of only four other kids who didn’t come back from winter break with new clothes or toys. Even the Jewish kids got cool stuff and they had to stretch it out for eight-days; not her family— _if she could even call them that_. Could ever have nice things, back when she was younger, and they got teased for being poor and now that she was older, she didn’t have to worry about stuff like that.

This time of year, she could just hideaway at the shelter. Most of the other women at the shelter went home to families and the staff were far and few between and since Catra was a quiet emancipated resident; she had some extra free range around the house. She didn’t have to wait in line for the bathroom or wait to cook something; in a way, this was a good way to spend the holiday. 

As this was the first time, she would spend it without Sue. 

No one at her new school knows she lives in a shelter. Only Adora and Scorpia knew and she assumed neither would say anything. 

She didn’t want people to know, fearing they would make fun of her or even worse—pity her not having real home or family and every place in town had a Christmas tree. She was invited downtown to the annual tree lighting by Adora and secretly hoped it was just the two of them—if anything about this holiday was going to bring Catra some cheer; she wished it would be her and Adora under some mistletoe. She really wished thinking that didn’t make her blush, because it wasn’t like she thought about it the entire bus ride here. 

But that idea wasn’t going to happen. Adora was here with her adoptive family. She was lucky to get adopted young and by a well-off family, no less. Catra feared that Glimmer, Angella, and Micah were wary of her being around Adora. She did have a _thug_ reputation at her new school. She didn’t help squash those rumors at first but now standing next to Adora while other girls from their school were there with their parents and giving Catra looks. She deeply regretted accepting the offer to come.

The only other people she got along with where Scorpia and Entrapta and they were with their parents too. She felt so out of place. Adora nudges her “You okay?” she asked.

_I hate being here! I feel like everyone is staring at me and no one wants me here but you and even you keep ignoring me to talk to Glimmer and Bow!_

“Fine. Fine” Catra lied. She couldn’t allow herself to bring down Adora’s good mood. If she was a downer, she could risk Adora leaving her— _again_ ……

Adora raised a brow and moved closer to her. Now the puffy sleeve of Adora’s jackets was touching Catra’s thin leather one. Adora opened her mouth to say something but was called over by Glimmer to go come over and get hot chocolate from the concession stand. Glimmer shot Catra the all-knowing look of _I don’t like you_ and _stay away from my sister, you punk_ in one only one glance. Catra didn’t have the energy to make a face back or give a dirty look or anything. It would be just her luck to have people judge her for starting something and she would be damned to look bad in front of Angella; rumor has it Angella was a tough woman to please and she did not want to get on her bad side. 

Another mom walked past her and reached an arm out to Catra. she turned and saw what she assumed to be Mermista’s mother since Mermista and some guy that looked just like Mermista were right next to her.

“Sweetheart, there is no way the jacket is warm enough” she motherly doted.

Catra felt embarrassed. Her leather jacket and a light grey sweater were not nearly as warm as this weather required. She didn’t even half gloves or a hat, nothing. She was freezing but didn’t want to show it. 

“I-I’m fine, thank you,” she gave a sincere smile of assurance. She was uneasy. In any other case, she would have just walked away but this was Adora’s friend’s mom and she couldn’t do something so rude right now. 

The woman patted her shoulder “Well if you say so dear” she said before leaving. Catra looked away knowing that their gaze was still on her. She couldn’t show weakness right now.

_What could I have even said? Yes, I am cold? And what would she have done anyway?_

Now she was standing alone. 

Her throat felt dry at this. She pretending to seem interesting in the dim tree in the middle of the park, but she didn’t want to look sad and alone. After a painful two-minutes of staring at nothing, she walked over to another side of the park and look at her phone. 

She saw a notification from Lonnie that she was a Christmas party with Rogelio and Kyle. The three of them stayed in foster care longer then Catra. Lonnie got fostered by her biological older cousin while Kyle and Rogelio got fostered by some guy they worked for in the summer. Now the three had nice lives with families that loved them. 

She was happy for them and also jealous at the same time. She wasn’t super nice to them before she left the foster home with them. She figured they wouldn’t want to talk to her. She knew that was the reason they stopped talking to her.

She didn’t know why she was scrolling down her phone’s contact list for Lonnie’s number, she also didn’t know why she hit facetime for a call. 

_I can lie and say I didn’t mean to call her._

Catra’s heart thumped loudly in her chest. She didn’t know why she was afraid of rejection; she should be used to it by now, but she was. Today made her more anxious and scared then she had been in months. 

Her hand felt heavy as the screen blurred and showed movement. Lonnie had the phone above her head as she angled it to show Kyle and Rogelio behind her. 

“Hey Catra, what’s up?” her voice was cheerful. Like she was happy to see Catra through the phone screen.

This caught Catra off guard and the flood of emotion made her want to cry. She smiled at them through the phone and waved “Hey,”

Kyle asked, “Where are you at right now?”

_Was this an invite?_

“Downtown for the tree lighting; it's at the city park”

Lonnie turned to him and gasped “Oh my God I forgot that was today!”

Lonnie then turned back to her phone and spoke to Catra “You're lucky we forgot; Rogelio’s new friends invited to a cabin rental place for the weekend”

Catra smiled “Wow, that’s cool”

Lonnie then moved away from the boys and walked around to show Catra what the cabin looked like “Yeah, this place is awesome. There’s a hot tub on the balcony and we can see the mountains from here—there are an old-fashioned looking train station and a bunch of mountainy stuff”

Catra let out a light laugh “Sounds cool”

Lonnie then gave her a sincere smile and asked: “How are things?”

_I’m lonely and my crush ditched me to have hot cocoa and be happy with her family and now I see my former family happy as can be without me._

“Things are going airtight, can’t complain” she lied again with a shrug.

Lonnie shrugged back and offered “Same with me”

“That’s cool” Catra replied. She could feel how awkward this conversation was getting, she could only imagine how much Lonnie wanted to hang up on her and laugh about how pathetic it was for Catra to even dare call her. 

Catra et out a fake cough “Well, you're busy so I don’t want to keep you, happy holidays, Lonnie, tell the guys the same”

Lonnie nodded “Thanks Catra, you too”

Before Catra ended the call, Lonnie said one last thing to her “Text me whenever”

Catra paused and answered “Sure, I’ll text you later this week”

And just like that, the facetime was over and Catra to run home and cry. Everyone was having a good time without her. 

She looked over to see Adora was still talking with her other friends. 

_Why the fuck did you invite me if you weren’t even going to talk to me!?_

She couldn’t take much more of this. She walked past them to see what was going on at the concession stand.

_$4 for hot chocolate?! $6 for a soft pretzel?! Fuck that I’ll go hungry!_

It wasn’t like she had parents to buy her stuff. She had $11 leftover from her paycheck, and she needed that to last for three more days. She wasn’t spending it on some cheap stuff she could make at home for free. 

She sat down at a bench alone while the others sat at one of the long picnic tables with their parents. 

Adora looked over at her and saw this. She didn’t realize Catra was alone and couldn’t figure out why she wasn’t sitting with her. Adora’s thoughts distracted her and she put her hands in pockets. In her right pocket was her phone and in her left was something she hoped Catra would enjoy.

Her dad saw some light fidgeting from Adora’s hands in her pockets and asked “What’cha ya got there? kiddo?”

Startled a bit, Adora stammered “N-nothing”

A coy smile crossed Glimmer and Angella’s lips as they looked at her; they knew exactly what she was hiding.

“Drugs?” Micah questioned. “better not be” he knew that wasn’t it. 

Angella nudges her husband and whispered in his ear what it was.

Adora felt her face go pink as she looked around the table to see Mermista’s mom and Bow’s two dads were now paying attention. 

Micah then snapped his head back and questioned her “That’s where it went? I thought your mother hid that on me because I—” his sentence was cut off by Angella’s growl. 

The other parents at the table chuckled. Perfuma’s mom questioned “What was hidden?” she asked with a laugh in her voice.

“Mistletoe,” Micah answered. He gave Adora a smile and wink as he watched his adoptive daughter turn a bright shade of red at being out in front of a whole table of close friends. Granted, not everyone was listening, but Mermista’s mom and Perfuma’s mom were now invested and she knew her parents weren’t going to keep her plan secret. How did they even find out about her plan anyway? 

Angella then added in; much to Adora’s dismay her mother informed them “She has a plan for someone she has her eye on”

Perfuma’s mom let out a light gasp and clapped her hands together over in front of her mouth “Aw, does little Adora have a sweet for someone?”

Before the blushing teen could deny anything; Micah came to the rescue with an old embarrassing story about when he was trying win over Angella’s affections in college and followed her around a frat party with a mistletoe headband. That ended up leading to all the parents to talk about mistletoe mishaps; prompting all the kids to leave the table as fast as they could to avoid awkward stories of their parents having gross make-out sessions.

Adora asked the keys to the car so she could grab her scarf. 

Mermista's mom then turned over to look at Catra again. Catra looked visibly cold and Angella gestured for Angella to look over at her. “That girl is Adora’s friend, right?”

Angella nodded “Yes, but to be more accurate that is the girl Adora has a bit of crush on”

Mermista’s mom turned back around with eyes widened “Really? Oh, gosh I didn’t know Adora was—”

“She hasn’t come out to us, but we know and we’re being patient and supportive. She’ll talk to us more about when she’s ready. For now, it’s this unspoken thing. We know, but act like we don’t know. Regardless, what about Catra?”

The tan woman looked worried at Angella “That girl looks freezing. What kind of mother lets their child out in that?”

Before Angella could respond; Scorpia’s mother chimed in and sat closer.

“That poor baby doesn’t have a mother. She’s emancipated. She looks after herself. She’s a very prideful young lady. She won’t take help from anyone”

Angella asked “Really?”

Scorpia’s mother nodded “Oh, yes. Her and Scorpia aren’t talking all that much since we got a little too involved over thanksgiving break. We saw her get dropped off outside the shelter and asked Scorpia if he knew anything. She asked Catra and that’s when Catra got defensive and told her to mind her business and she isn’t some homeless teen that needs pity. We only wanted to invite her over to our house, but she declined and from what I assume went without food that. It broke my heart”

All the moms looked saddened at that. It didn’t matter if she was a legal adult and capable of her own decisions; Catra was still their daughter’s ages and she was still just a baby in their eyes. A baby with no family. 

They had to do something.

While the moms where brainstorming; Adora had realized she had lost track of where Catra was completely and text her. 

**Adora: Hey where did you go?**

**Catra: I’m at the bus stop. I’m so over today.**

Adora felt her heart sink as she frantically looked around to see where the bus stop was. Luckily it was just outside the parking lot to where the intersection was. She rushed over to Catra, seeing that she was all alone on the bench.

Adora called to her “Why are you leaving, I wanted you to see the tree lighting with me”

Catra just kept looking away and didn’t answer. She felt like crying. Seeing everyone with families and being happy made her long for that. She thought to be alone and independent from people who hurt her would give her a better sense of self. Instead, she was seventeen and alone and she felt it. Watching Adora run off with her family and be all happy and drinking cocoa made her angry and she had no right to be and it made her feel even worse about herself.

_I should be happy for her, but I’m not. Am I a terrible person? I feel like I am. I wish I was socially comfortable enough to just—be around people like that. But what if they found it weird that I was hanging out with her like that? What if her parents asked about my parents? What do I say? Anytime I tell an adult I’m emancipated they get weird around me. Maybe it was best to leave before I made someone uncomfortable. And…..Fuck Adora! she hasn’t even noticed I’m gone._

“Catra!?” Adora yelled next to her. 

Catra jumped a bit as she saw Adora standing over her. 

_Shit, I take that back._

Adora sat next to her “Why are you leaving?” she asked. Her voice was filled with concern.

Catra didn’t know how to respond.

_Lie! Lie about something! Stomachache? Headache? Being cold? That’s half-true, but I need something, anything! I can’t just tell her my feelings are hurt overseeing everyone with their parents. I’ll look like a total little bitch if I tell her that._

“I….” Catra trialed off “I just don’t want to be here right now,” she said keeping her eyes off of Adora’s worried eyes. If Adora could get one clear look t her face she would know that something was wrong and if Adora asked her, she knew she would break down into tears.

Adora just replied with a meek “Okay…. I wish you would stay with me, I wanted you here”

Catra then snapped back in a low voice “Didn’t seem like it. You went off with your family to eat and stuff and left me”

_Not the first time you’ve done that either._

“Y-you could have come with me in line, everyone was ordering food”

“I don’t have enough money for that stuff” she mumbled. Her voice shaking a bit. Catra felt the tears welling up.

Fuck, I’m going to do it.

“My parents would have gotten you something if you asked”

“I didn’t want to look useless and ask for food like some homeless person,” Catra said turning to her. Yes, filled with tears. Adora gasped lightly as Catra continued “I don’t like being the only one in a room full of people that is different. Everyone else had families and can-do family stuff with them, I don’t want to hang around you and your family like some pet or charity case. When I realized I was just here to tag along with you and _them_ I didn’t want to stay around anymore”

Adora blinked and paused “I…. didn’t know you felt like that, Catra I’m so sorry”

Catra wiped her eyes and tried her best not to cry. 

Adora grabbed her arm and pulled her closer “I’m sorry Catra”

Catra looked away “It’s not your fault Adora”

Adora tugged on her arm “Stay with me for the tree lighting, please?”

Catra looked down in shame “I want to go back home; the bus is coming in five minutes”

Adora frowned but accepted it. “Can I wait with you?”

Catra nodded “sure”

It was a semi-silent wait for the bus. 

The bus was probably a minute away when Catra turned to Adora to apologize “Sorry I kinda downed your night”

Adora took this chance to hold Catra’s hand “It’s okay, but if you want to give me a chance to turn this around you can stay with me for the tree lighting?”

Catra had calmed down enough to agree with Adora’s request and walked back into the park with her. 

The two went over to the crowd and watched as the mayor gave a speech welcoming in the holiday season. Adora notices Catra looked cold and took her hand into her own. The stood next to each other in brief silence as Catra looked down at her boots. They were worn down and her jacket wasn’t warm at all for this kind of weather. She didn’t have gloves, a scarf, or even a real winter hat except for an old baseball cap. She still made herself look stylish and presentable despite not being fortunate enough to buy a lot of nice clothes for herself. 

Adora asked, “Want my scarf to keep you warmer?”

Catra accepted it and while Adora wasn’t looking she sniffed it a little. She smelt Adora’s fancy perfume and smiled to herself. She wanted to keep it just for the Adora factor of it. 

The tree final lit and everyone cheered. A few couples kissed and others took photos together. In the mix of the moment, Adora bravely took the mistletoe out of her pocket and turned to Catra.

“Uh…. hey,” Adora awkwardly began “Look what I got”

Showing her the mistletoe.

Her cheeks started warm-up as she lost all clever ways to Segway into her flirty suggestion for a kiss. She could be bold and just dangle it over her and kiss Catra without asking, but that would be creepy and consensual if Catra doesn’t like her like that or she could ask if she wanted to kiss under the mistletoe, but then Adora would most likely die from embarrassment. 

Catra looked puzzled “What’s with the holiday decoration?”

_Wait? Catra doesn’t know what this is. Of course! Catra was raised by Sue! Miss Weaver was a Jehovah's Witness! Duh!_

“It’s mistletoe,” and with that Adora was red in the face again. 

Catra gave her a smug look and inquired “Oh? Really?” Adora had succeeded in embarrassing herself and Catra was going to take this time to enjoy it. “Who’s it for?” Catra teased. Half-knowing it might be for her; she wished it was for her. She wanted it to be for her. 

Adora just stood their like fishy; opening and closing her mouth for some type of explanation to come out and nothing did. Catra just kept smiling at her. That somehow made it worse. Would Catra laugh at her for wanting to kiss her? 

She wasn’t going to ask. She took the charge by being bold. 

She held it over Catra and tried to give a very _Catra like_ quip. “It’s to kiss you, duh, it’s the holiday season,”

Catra’s smug face turned to shock and Adora felt the strong sense of relief when she spotted the redness forming on her friend’s cheeks. 

“Oh? O-Oh! Okay, well then…..w-what are you waiting for?” Catra tried to repress the nervousness in her voice. Adora smiled and let her arms fall to Catra’s forearms and she leaned in. Catra felt frozen, happy—but, unable to place her hands on Adora’s arms or waist. All she could do was lean in and thank God that Adora and candy cane breath for this. Their lips touched and their stomachs fluttered. It wasn’t a deep and passionate kiss, just an extended peck on the lips. They pulled away slowly. Both red and smiling. Catra bashfully looked down and headbutted Adora gently. Both shyly smiling at each other. 

“That was an early Christmas gift. I know you don’t celebrate Christmas since Sue didn’t, but I hope you don’t mind me giving you a few more of those during the rest of December” 

_Smooth Adora, super smooth and cool. She’s gonna melt into my arms and confess her love for me and—_

Catra just snuck in another kiss and asked “Could you give me some after December, Y’know…. since I never celebrated Christmas before? I gotta catch up”

Adora felt legs turn to jelly almost as she leaned back for another kiss “Sure,” she replied. Before planting another on her lips. 

The two pulled away and locked hands with each other while looking into one another’s eyes. It only took a few seconds for them to realize that the large crowd around them had dispensed and they were one of the only few pairs of people standing around the tree. The two pulled away in embarrassment and looked around nervously. Hoping no one they knew some them in such a tender and private moment. Catra then let out an embarrassed grown and covered her face.

“Please don’t tell me your dad has a black beard and is wearing a grey jacket with a Santa hat?” Catra whined.

Adora nodded and didn’t dare turn around. Catra moved her hands away from eyes as she asked, “And is your mom a lady with a lavender-colored jacket with brown wavy hair wearing a matching Santa hat?”

Adora winced “Yep, that is mom” still not looking behind her. 

Catra completely uncovered her face and informed her “Okay…. well I think they saw us kiss and right now your dad is giving me a thumbs up, so I think we’re good. Also, I’m not good with parents and being embarrassed so I’m gonna—” and with a turn of her heel, Catra ran to the bus stop. “Bye Adora!” she yelled before completely leaving the park. 

Adora’s smile turned to frown for a second. 

She wanted Catra to meet her parents, but she guessed this wasn’t the best time. She turned to see her mom and dad smiling at her and she embarrassedly smiled back. As much as she wished they didn’t see her plant a kiss on her crush she couldn’t deny the slight relief that it was over, and she had her loving family to come back to. Soon she would be able to share that feeling with Catra. 

The feeling of love and acceptance is something she wanted to give Catra; she knew it was something she didn’t have and if she could give anything, it would be that. But for now, a kiss would have to do.

She walked over to her parents and braced herself for the endless amount of teasing; the first thing to come out of Miah’s mouth was.

“Hey, you kiss with your eyes open just like Angie used to when we started dating” his jest made Angella give him a look and she turned away from him and stated “Ignore your father, I’m glad you were able to see your friend,” she aid storming off in embarrassment. 

Micah and Adora laughed a little at that as her father asked, “She liked it?”

Adora bashfully nodded. Too embarrassed to talk. He asked her another question.

“Were you nervous?” 

Another shy nod.

Micah patted her shoulder “That’s an okay baby girl, we’ve all been there”

Micah had his moments where he could be embarrassing. In these instances, he knew what to say. He made her get Angella out of the conversation so she wouldn’t ask Adora a million questions and make her uncomfortable. He offered his fatherly wisdom the easiest way he could. Short. Sweet. And to the point. With a dash of dad humor in for good measure “Angie still kisses with her eyes open from time to time. She thinks I can’t tell, but I always can. It’s actually really cute, just don’t do it at your wedding or the photos will make you look creepy”

Adora just rolled her eyes and her dad chuckled. “Can I borrow that mistletoe? I need it to embarrass Glimmer. If I get all three of you girls today, I’ll mark it as a new record” he said as he kissed his daughter’s forehead and walked off to most likely chase Glimmer. 

Adora felt warm come over her body again as she looked out to the direction of the bus stop. She was falling that girl and she was going to do everything she could to make Catra feel as happy as she was at this moment. In time. Catra was going to know just how loved she is. 

**Christmas eve**

Adora was with Glimmer and Bow trying to finish wrapping presents when she got a call from Catra. it must be important if she’s calling; Adora thought as she stepped out of the room.

“Hello?” Adora answered.

Catra voice seemed excited frantic “I got a bunch of freakin gift cards and presents!”

Adora blinked in shock “Huh? Really?”

Angella listened carefully from behind her bedroom door to hear bits of the conversation.

“Yeah,” Catra continued “I guess they have this ting for emancipated kids that if they stay in school and stuff, they give them a bunch of stuff; I mean it’s kinda corny since it’s sighed from Santa, but it’s kinda crazy. I mean, no one knows where I live so it’s crazy how it just showed up. I mean, it’s like, gift cards gloves, a few sweaters, pajama bottoms, and some art stuff, nobody knows I like that stuff”

“Wow, Catra that’s amazing I guess Santa Claus is real” Adora offered.

“That or, I got a stalker, either way, it’s pretty awesome”

The two girls talked a bit more as Angella stepped away from the door and gave Micah a look of accomplishment. 

Micah asked, “I assume the Santa project was a hit?”

Angella wrapped her arms around her husband to embrace him “It was, she doesn’t know who’s it from and she’s okay with it”

Micah returned the hug. “You’re a Queen, honey,” he said before kissing her. She smiled and pulled away “I have to tell the other mothers it was a success” 


End file.
